Pouring carton



Patented .lune 20, 1933v rArENr OFFICE GUSTAVE AQTROST, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA P'UBING CARTON Application med April 6, 1931. Serial No. 527,901.

My present invention relates to cartons, and more particularly to a carton having means whereby it may be readily opened to provide a so-called pouring outlet which 1s 5 suited to and designed for use in connection with automatic folding, weighing and sealing machines, such as are usually employed 1n filling cartons with granular materials.l

An object of m invention is toprov1de a m simple, cheap an practical type of carton which has means that can be operated in a convenient manner by users and which will not interfere with the successful operation of an automatic folding, filling and sealing machine when the carton is being filled.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel arrangement and 'design of pouring spout fora carton which may be mounted upon one of the flaps of the carton and which will remain in such a position that it will not interfere with the folding, gluing and sealing of the carton by an automatic machine.

` In the art to which my invention pertains therev are a great many cartons having soe called pouring spouts and outlets. These cartons are generally used for the distribution of salt, sugar and other granular commodities. So far as I am aware the prior art cartons of this type require some special fori? of spout or closure device whichis made separately and attached to the carton blank after the carton has been folded and sealed. In other words, these spouts, because of their form and size, cannot be assembled to the carton before the carton is filled` as they will interfere with the successful operation of the -automatic folding and sealing machinery now in daily use. It is therefore a further object of my invention lto provide a special type of pouring spout which can be conveniently mounted upon one of the Haps of the carton in Such a wa that it will not intefere with the successfu operation of the machine when y the carton is folded, filled, glued and sealed by -an automatic filling machine. rllhis object is accomplishedby providing a specially shaped spout outlet and spout forming blank.

The spout forming blank is made flat and because of the shape of the spout outlet is adapted to be readily pulled downwardly through the spout outlet to form a pouring spout.

For a better understanding of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying' drawing wherein I have shown by way of illustration and not of limitation, a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the `several views;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the end of the carton showing the closing flaps eX- tended and with the pouring spout inl its closed position,

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 showing the flaps 'folded in as when the carton is closed,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the flaps turned away to expose the pouring spout and with the pouring spout pulled out into its operative position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the manner of disposing the spout forming blank against the inside of one of the end flaps, as when the carton is presented to a filling machine, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view o f the spout supporting end flap showing in detail the outline of the spout forming element and the shape ofthe spout outlet.

For the purpose of this specification, I have chosen for illustration a carton of the type covered by my prior patent, Number 1,800,415, dated April 15, 1931. 85

This carton comprises a body portion 10 which is provided with flaps at each end, the bottom flaps not shown being adapted to be .folded in any suitable manner to close the bottom of the carton. At the upper end of the body 10, I show aps 11 and 12 as hinged upon the short sides of the carton and iaps 13 and 14 as hinged upon the long sides of the carton. The flaps 11 and -12 are adapted to be yfolded in vacross the top of the carton and the iaps 13 and 14 are then folded in over the iiaps 11 and 12, the iiap 13 being disposed over the last above Haps and the flap 14 being finally folded over and glued upon the fiap 13. In this particular carton, 100 the flap 13 is provided with a projecting `tongue portion 15 and the flap 14 is provided with a scored portion 16 so that when the scored portion on the flap 14 is disposed over the tongue portion 15 these two portions may be pulled away to expose a pouring outlet 17 extending through the Hap 12.

When the carton is closed and sealed and the flaps glued down, the carton will appear as illustrated in Figure 2 with the proJecting tongue portion 15 extending out beyond the limits of the carton where it may be conveniently grasped by the user for the purpose of displacing the scored portions and exposing the-pouring outlet.

In Figure 3 the carton is shown in its pouring position with the outer flaps torn away to expose the pouring outlet 17 and with a spout forming blank 18 arranged therein so as to direct the contentsof the carton therefrom in a small stream. As illustrated, in this figure of the drawing it would appear that the spout 18.is formed similar to a great many spouts of this. character n ow shown by the prior art but this is not so as will now be pointed out.

The novel .features of my present invention may be said to be best. illustrated by the showing made in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing. In Figure 4 the end flap 12 of the carton is shown as folded out at right angles to the carton proper and with the spout forming blank 18 disposed along the inner sid-e thereof in a substantially flat condition.' In other words, the spout forming blank 18 is applied to the 'end closing Hap 12 in its dat condition and before it has lbeen folded.

As shown in Figure 5 the spout outlet 17 in the flap 12 is provided with sides which diverge outwardly from a hinge portion 19 formed upon the `flap 12. It is to this hinge portion 19 that the spout blank 18 is glued. The outlet 17 is also provided with an inwardly extending lip 20 opposite the hinge portion 19 which will cooperate with a similar projecting tongue 21.upon the spout forming blank 18 and hold the spout blank in place. As shown in this figure of the drawing the spout forming blank 18 is scored along'inwardly diverging lines 422 so that when its tongue portion 21 is grasped and pulled outwardly the sides of the` spout forming blank 18, because of their engagement with the side 17 of the spout opening, will be drawn inwardly through the spout outlet 17 so as to cause the blank 18 to assume the shape of a spout, as illustrated in` Figure 3.

y A close inspection of the constructionillustrated in Figure 5 will disclose that the interlocking tongues 2O and 21 upon the carton flap 12 and the spoutblank 18 respectively are of-a width somewhat less than the width of the spout opening 17. With this arrangement the tongues 20 and 21 can Hex slightly and thus permit, the spout forming liti-al position and when it is being opened.

This clearance is not objectionable in the present carton as the spout and its opening are protected against sifting of the contents of the carton by the outer flaps 13 and 14 which are glued thereover when the carton is in transit.

From the above it will be seen that I have produced a carton that has a pouring outlet and spout which can be made up ,complete at the box factory. In addition 'to the advantage that my box can be made up complete at the box factory, it also possesses the further advantage that it can be used inconnection with the present type of automatic folding, filling and sealing machines, such as are now in general use in packing granular foods and the like.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the salne can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves, in view of this broad disclosure, to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention. is broadly new and it is desired to claim it as such so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by'Letters Patent is 1.'A pouring outlet for cartons comprising a carton wall having a substantially trapezoidal opening therethrough, a fiat spout forming member hinged to the narrow end of said opening having fold lines disposed at an angle to the sides of said opening, whereby as said spout forming member is moved upon its hinge through said opening the folding pressure exerted by the side walls of the trapezoidal opening will be progressively nearer the fold lines in the spout forming member and thus prevent damage to the spout during the initial opening operation. l

2. In a carton, the combination of a carton wall having a trapezoidal opening therethrough, said opening having upwardly divergin'g edges, a hinge formed upon the carton along the narrow end of said opening, and a normally Hat spout forming member nemesis glued to the inner surface o said hinge, said spout forming member being scored along lines extending non-parallel with the sides of said opening, whereby the spout forming member will lie substantially ila-t against the inside wall of the carton and be progressively formed as a rectangular spoutl when drawn through said opening.

3., ln a pouring spout for a folding carton, the combination of an end closing flap for a carton, said end closing flap having a trape`1 zoidal opening therethrough, a hinge piece formed upon said flap and extending into said opening, and a spout forming member secured to said hinge having a tongue opposite said hinge adapted to cooperate with the hinge and hold the spout member in cooperating relation with the opening in the flap when closed, said spout forming member having scored fold lines extending at an angle to the sides of the opening, whereby it may be easily and progressively folded to form a spout by pulling it outwardly through the opening substantially as described 4e. lin a carton, the combination of a carton Wall having a trapezoidal opening therethrough, a hinge formed upon the carton along the narrow end of said opening, and a normally fiat spout forming member of relatively stili material secured to the inside of said hinge, said spout forming member having scored fold lines which diverge inwardly from the ends of said hinge and at an angle to the sides of the opening in the carton wall, whereby the spout forming mem# ber can lie substantially lat against the carel ton wall when closed and be easily moved upon said hinge and through said opening to form a rectangular spout therefor.

5. In a pouring spout for a folding cartony the combination of an end closing Hap for v a carton, said end closing flap having a trapezoidal opening therethrough, and a spout forming member hinged at the narrow end of said opening having a tongue opposite the hinge adapted to hold the spout member in cooperating relation with the opening in the Hap, said spout forming member having scored foldlines which lie at an angle to the sides of the opening, whereby it will be progressively formed as a rectangular spout when pulled outwardly through the opening substantially as described.

GUSTAVE A. TRUST.

CERTIFICATE or coRREcTloN.

Paten: No. 1,914,543. June zo, 1933.

GUsTAvE' A. TRosT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printedspecificntion of the above numbered patent requiring correction las follows: Page 2, line 121, claim 1, after "be" insert "app1ied"; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein 'that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. p

Signedmnd sealed this 26th day of September, A. I). 1933.

F. M. Hopkins (Seal) I Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

